1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle seat ramp apparatus for easily effectuating loading and removal of passenger seats.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, ramps have been used on vehicles to effectuate the removal of items such as lawn equipment and wheel chairs. It was not until automatic seat rollers were placed on passenger seats for aiding in moving of the seats toward a vehicle doorway for removal that a roller seat ramp was needed. An example of a vehicle seat assembly with retracting roller seats is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,398 to Aneiros et al which issued Dec. 13, 1994. Current vehicle ramp designs do not provide a ramp with tracks that can be adjusted so that they are different widths apart to allow for the loading and removal of seats that have rollers spaced at differing widths. Moreover, prior ramps do not allow the tracks to slidably move along a center cross member that is disposed between the tracks so that the width between the tracks can be easily adjusted.
Further, prior vehicle ramps have not provided a device for latching the tracks to the vehicle so that they will not slide to one side or fall to the ground. Also lacking in the prior art is an arcuate vehicle engagement portion attached to the ramp tracks that fits over a door trim and molding of the vehicle so that the rollers of the seats do not abut against the door trim or molding during removal.